This video is a great place to start if you’ve been interested in living off-grid. The 10-minute video shows the construction of a rustic log cabin with cedar siding and a live-edge grid built by a group friends. Here is how friends built a cabin in the woods with a limited budget. They will show how they used a portable sawmill to dig the posts to hold up the cabin and install the front door. The owner, his brother, and themselves have wanted to build this cabin since they were children, building forts in the forest with whatever materials they could find. Now they build a fully habitable, fully-furnished cabin.

To begin, they dig in the reclaimed pressure treated posts using a hand shovel. Then, they harvest cedar and pinyon trees that are dead and use them to build the structure, including the 2x4s, ridge beams and siding. Because there is no electricity in this part of the forest, they must use battery-powered tools. They install an old fireplace and reclaimed windows that were removed from a house. The roof, supplied by Vic West, is quickly installed with screws that are rubber-gasketed. The cedar-made door is made to order. The deck is made of cedar and pine logs that are dead standing. Season 2 will include more of the construction, including the interiors and outbuildings to provide off-grid power.

Off-grid living requires planning, preparation and hard work. Once you are there, the work continues with the maintenance of your off grid homestead. It all comes back to the basics. Being self-sufficient and living a sustainable existence is essential. Here are the first steps you should consider.

Land. First, you will need a good location. You will need land that is suitable for your new lifestyle if you want to go off-grid. This usually means finding land in an area that is remote, away from strict building codes or permitting regulations. These areas are less expensive and have lower property taxes. You can also get more land for your money.

Shelter. Shelter is next on your list. Shelter is a necessity for every human to survive. Your off-grid home can be a cabin, tiny house, traditional wood-frame house, cob house or strawbale house. There are many types of shelters, and it is a good idea for you to decide which type of shelters you want long before moving on your land.

Water. You will need to find a clean source of water. You will not have access to municipal water sources or city water on your land. Therefore, you should choose a piece that has a natural source of water or is convenient to haul.

You can find out more about this story at: YouTube – The Wooded Bearsman